Measuring “urban vitality” in low population density areas from the perspective of people's activities

This study measures "urban vitality" in low population density areas of Japan, focusing on Tottori Prefecture.The research utilizes synthetic positioning data generated from smartphone GPS to quantify vitality, employing three indicators: population density, age diversity, and residential diversity.Time series k-means clustering analysis reveals distinct temporal patterns for each indicator.Multinominal logistic regression analysis demonstrates that mixed land use, building density, and proximity to public transportation are significantly correlated with higher vitality measures.Notably, areas containing restaurants and retail shops exhibited higher values across all vitality indicators.The findings suggest that conditions traditionally associated with urban vitality remain effective in low-density regions.The study makes a significant contribution to the field of urban planning by underscoring the pivotal role that diverse human activity patterns and facility distributions play in fostering vibrant spaces in depopulating areas.